Final Fantasy Main Story RP Arc X

Kadaj gave a flicking smile as he used what strength he had to shift and lean into Sephiroth, resting his head against his chest. He knew it wouldn't be long - it wasn't the first time he had died, he knew how it went but he didn't expect the peaceful oblivion he had before.

Minerva stepped out of the ether again, kneeling opposite Sephiroth with a sad shake of her head. "We don't know if we can help him," she admitted softly, not letting her voice reach Kadaj. "He wasn't a soul born of Gaia in the way you were, and though he is a part of you he is something else entirely. The first new soul born on this planet in millennia."

Her eyes closed and she bowed her head. "If... if we were to give him life, we would have to take from yours. You are his only link to existence, and so the only force with which any can heal him."

Cloud watched from afar. He'd given his blade to Zack and Zack did what needed to be done. He had seen the whole thing, seeing the burning tornado, seeing Sephiroth rip through Jenova's body. He watched Aerith die, and he sighed.

Why did life have to be like this?

When Zack moved away from Sephiroth, he stepped forward. He couldn't face Zack at the moment; and, while he didn't want to face Sephiroth either, he was the better of the two horrible options. Eventually, he'd have to face them all. Angeal, Kadaj, Sephiroth, Zack... His eyes closed for a moment and he took a deep breath.

Sighing to himself, he opened his eyes once more. He blinked as Sephiroth found Kadaj. An urge to move forward -- to protect Kadaj -- filled him... but what could he do? What the hell could someone as useless as him do?

"If... if we were to give him life, we would have to take from yours. You are his only link to existence, and so the only force with which any can heal him."

The Goddess' words were heard and he stepped forward. "I have a link to Sephiroth, or had a link... Is there anything I can do? Is... Please?"

Minerva looked up at Cloud, her head tilting slightly to one side as she looked over him and read every part of him before her gaze went back to Sephiroth and she did the same. It was there, but it was faint - and there was hope.

"You do know what you are offering, yes?" She queried. "If you do this then your life will be shortened, your fate will change and so will the world around your absence. We need you to know this, know there are consequences that we cannot foresee if they will be good or bad, or neutral... that we," she paused and looked away, "that I offer this because I put him in place as a soldier when I knew his new heart could not take it."

"I know what I'm offering," Cloud muttered. His blue eyes, red from his earlier tears, glanced to Kadaj. "Take as much as you need..." Thoughts scattered in his head, but the only thing he was sure of that moment was that he would do anything to keep Kadaj from... "I'm tired of losing people, Minerva... I'll save him, so take whatever. Take everything if it's necessary, I just don't want to lose him too. Not him."

He couldn't explain why, he just knew that was what he wanted.

He was done being the Hero; he was done being the one everyone wanted to have around. The world didn't need him anymore, but that didn't mean he didn't want to help, either.

"My little Kadaj, if only you knew how much they love you," Minerva whispered, stroking his hair gently. "I'm not taking your life, Cloud Strife - I have a Cetra who would never forgive me if I did," she continued with a kindly smile, taking his hand and gently pulling him down to join herself and Sephiroth on the ground. "Your offer is accepted, and through you he will have more time on this planet."

Time was one thing, but Cloud didn't have what she needed to keep him on the planet. She looked to Sephiroth, knowing that she was asking so much of him and that she should not ask more. "So much of your life has already been stolen from you that to take more is cruel... But I have a proposition for you." She could feel Gaia rearing as she broke vow upon vow to alter and reveal time-lines. "You and Zack... fate has it that your times are some distance apart. I can take as much as that difference, and you can leave this world together... if you desire it."

Angeal paused in his paused in his search for Kadaj as he heard Zack call for him; he was more than a little concerned for the kid as he hadn't been able to find him, although as he heard Zack calling, he dropped his immediate search, heading in the direction he'd heard Zack calling him from.

He needed to find Sephiroth as well, had he even survived? What had happened to Cloud? He'd lost sight of them all in the battles...then again that was a lot easier to do now, he thought with a faint smirk, shaking his head to himself, although it was enough to send him a little dizzy, as the pain started returning, he tried to focus...Zack.

Zack was alive at the very least, he moved over to where he'd heard Zack calling, looking the younger man over, "Are you alright?" he asked him, he seemed to be in one piece at least.

Angeal nodded, at least Sephiroth was alright, and from the seem of it Cloud was as well, so it was just Kadaj. He moved to wrap an arm around Zack to hold him a moment, "You'll be alright Zack," he murmured,

"We'll get you through it," he assured, certain that it would probably hit him harder later. "We'll sort something out with Cloud as well," he knew the blonde's feelings toward Sephiroth, but surely it wasn't worth losing Zack over, again.

He winced inwardly, he could feel the makeshift dressing against the skin around his eye, and it didn't feel in an overl pleasant condition. He'd suck it up for now though, the others needed him.

"Thanks Angeal." he felt better having him near. Even just around. "Seph and I were gunna go back to Healin, pack up and leave." He looked up at him."Any idea on where we could go-?" He stopped only just noticing the dressing to the eye."And when did you enter a pirate competition?" He asked lightheartedly.

"I thought I could do with a new look," he shrugged casually with a faint grin, shaking his head a little as he looked to the younger man again, "You could go anywhere you wanted," he pointed out, "Off this continent would probably be better though if you wanted to stay away from Shinra," he stated.

Zack smiled Angeal always did have a way with cheering him up. It seemed so odd that this time it was in reverse. Last time when Angeal died Aerith had done her best to cheer him up. Now it seemed to be on the other foot.Zack nodded. "Yeah sounds like a plan but I mean where's good, nice even? You and Genesis had to have hidden out somewhere nice to chill out together and not be interrupted."

"We were in Mideel," he stated, "The part where we are is quiet, peaceful," he told him, "I had a look around the wider area, there was a cabin that was abandoned a little away from us, on the opposite sides of the town's outskirts. Close enough to get supplies, yet far enough to be away from anyone else and not be disturbed."

Zack smiled. "Thanks Angeal! I'll talk to Seph about it and we can go have a look. I could probably just fly-" He stopped. "I wonder if I can still fly. Being Jenova is dead."He hadn't felt any cells moving, in fact his head seemed rather quiet. It was eery."I'll check later, when I know we're all okay." He motioned. "I think Seph went this way in search of Kadaj. So hopefully we can catch up to him."

"There's no rush pup, take your time to figure it all out," Angeal told him, "Let's go and make sure they are alright," he murmured as he turned to head in the direction that Zack motioned with the younger.

Zack let out a whine. "Pup really?" He looked up at the sky. "I'm sure we're like closer to age now. I'm not a puppy anymore man."As they were walking he looked round to see if he could spot Sephiroth or Kadaj anywhere.Though he would be respectful if he did see them. Stay back and give them their family moment.

Zack groaned. "Maaaan." He supposed if Angeal couldn't help it he couldn't.He didn't mind Angeal's nick name for him, it just it had kinda gotten out of hand last time."I guess I can let it slide. But only for you, if Genesis starts using it I'll call him GenGen."It wasn't much of a threat but he knew it could be annoying... to a degree.

Angeal chuckled, shaking his head to himself, "I'll be sure to warn him," he assured, "So, you and Seph, huh?" he looked at him, not having really caught up on the matter with either of them, "How did that come about?"

It was a sacrifice, that was what she wanted of him, but it was one he knew he needed to accept. He had been willing to give it for Zack and Kadaj was no different once it came down to it. His attention settled on Cloud for a moment. Once his enemy, now trying to save the only one who could truly be considered his family.

Slowly Sephiroth lowered Kadaj to the ground and turned back towards the woman. Even as she accepted Cloud's offer he knew he could not just accept it. The green eyes locked on her as he nodded his head briefly. It was no sacrifice but a blessing in disguise. It was no secret to her that he needed this.

Zack looked at Angeal thinking about it."Yeah. I guess it was because of Jenova in my head wanting him back. Least I thought so at first."He rubbed behind his head. "I thought it was her. Then when she wasn't around it was still there."Zack would spare the details of how over powering it had been at first to have those needs for his friend.Now it only seemed natural to just be with Sephiroth, even though it hurt Cloud and Aerith to the point of him hating himself at the moment. But it would pass.

Minerva nodded with an understanding that as willing as Sephiroth would have been to gift them regardless, knowing that it would not take him from Zack eased his conscience in doing it.

Kadaj reached for Sephiroth as he moved away. "Don't leave me," he murmured, a tear rolling down his cheek. He didn't want to be alone, he didn't want to die alone. He knew that Sephiroth owed him nothing, but even as his touch left him he felt more abandoned than he ever had before.

"He hasn't left you," Minerva whispered back, her hand slipping into his to let him know he wasn't alone. Her body glowed faintly as her eyes closed. She reached for nothing else, not needing the physical contact to delve into the time lines. From Sephiroth she healed Kadaj and gave him the time that he willingly gave, from Cloud she gave him more years - ever careful to not take too much, leaving as much of his fate in tact.

Once that link to Gaia through Cloud was made, she gave a smile and reached her hand out, resting it on the young teen's chest. He's yours now, let him have a life - I beg of you. She felt the momentary reluctance of the planet before a tendril of lifestream burst from the ground and wrapped around Kadaj, absorbing into him and giving him new life.

Her eyes opened and she stood, looking at the three with a smile. "You all have many years ahead of you yet - even Kadaj. Through Sephiroth he has been given the gift of life again, through Cloud he has been given the gift of being linked to us all. Through Gaia he will have a full life, and like all will return to the planet." She looked down at the now sleeping form. "One of you should wake him..."

She gave a wider smile and turned, disappearing back into the ether and leaving the trio in peace.

"We'll be much happier away from Shinra though." He laughed. "But who wouldn't... seriously."They were that closer to having true freedom, to run away from them, start over, properly.It was one thing he was looking for. To not hunted down and gunned down.Rufus no longer held that power, and he doubted that he would when they would probably be needed again. Eventually.

There was momentary exhaustion, but Cloud ignored it. It wasn't important compared to the rest of everything.

One of us... should wake him? Cloud's eyes looked up to Sephiroth. A mix of hesitation and fear filled his mind: What was he supposed to do? He wanted to be the one to wake Kadaj, but... He's Sephiroth's family.

"You should do it," he muttered. "He's your brother, or son, or whatever he is. He's your responsibility, your problem." He forced the words out, turning his back on them. It hurt. It hurt to lie, to pretend Kadaj was a problem, but he didn't want anyone in his life anymore. "I'll try to think of a way back."

Angeal nodded, "It is the least that you both deserve, to be able to live in peace," he smiled to Zack, and he would do whatever was needed to make sure that it happened; it was the least that he could do, he had so much to make up for with both of them.He looked around a moment, catching a glimpse of silver not far away, "They're over there," he told Zack, uncertain if he'd seen them, although he wouldn't directly approach and intrude on anything that might already be going on with Sephiroth and Kadaj.